Golf club



June 18, 1935. A. YOUNG GOLF CLUB Filed June 17, 1955 INVENTOR By Leona/g5 Ymmg KQLXM TTOiT ZEQ Patented June 18, 1935 UNITED] STATES PATENT OFFICE GOLF CLUB- Leonard A. Young, Detroit, l VlIioh. W Y I Application June 1'7, 1933, Serial No. 676,291 g f 11 Claims. (01.27347),

In the manufacture of golf club heads such as drivers, brassies and spoons, wood has been the material commonly used and found most satisfactory. However, great care must be exer- 51015661 in the selection of the material and choice ofmaterialsfrom which wood golf club heads may be manufactured'is very restricted. Further, there is a decided tendency toward Warping and checking.

The main objects of this invention are:

First, to provide a golf club head structure in which the main body'is of wood so reinforced and supported throughout that the tendency. or likelihood of splitting or warping and checking m -"under varying conditions of use is substantially eliminated.

Second, to provide an improved golf club head having these advantages which may be very economically produced. v j

Third, to provide a golf club head which is very distinctive and attractive in appearance.

-Fourth, to provide a golf club head in which the tendency of the stroke to be'deflected when contacting with the ground is minimized, and ,011 in'which the club is'encouraged to follow through after contact with the ground.

Objects pertaining to details and economies of the invention will definitely appear from the description to follow. The invention is defined in so the claims.

A structure embodying the features of my invention is clearly illustrated in the accompany,- ing drawing, in which: I

Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a golf club ;;embodying my invention, a portion of the shaft being broken away.

Fig. 2 is 'a fragmentary bottom perspective view. I

r Fig. 3 is a transverse section on line 33'of Figs. 2 and 4. l

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a modified form or embodiment of my invention.

5; Fig. 6' is.a fragmentary transverse section of another modification or embodiment of my invention.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing the head I, formed of wood, is provided with an integral hosel 2 to which the shaft 3 is attached. The head is suitably conformed and provided with a face having the desired loft, depending on whether the club is to be used as a driver, brassie or 55 spoon.

In the top of the head I form a plurality of spaced parallel longitudinal slots or kerfs 4 having roundedv bottoms 5 as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4. In the bottom of the head I provide a plurality of spaced longitudinal parallel slots or kerfs 6 disposed .in alternating relation and overlapping within the body as shown in Figs.'3 and 4. The bottoms 1 of the kerfs 6 are also curved and these kerfs or slots may be effectively formed by a multiple saw.

Each top kerf has a plate 8 fitted and secured therein, and each bottom kerf has a plate 9 likewise fitted and secured therein as by means of suitable glue so that the plates in effect be.- come an integral part of the structure. The plates are preferably formed of aluminum and their outer edges are flush with and conformed to the surface of the head. When formed of aluminum the head maybe machined with the ordinary tools employed for that purpose, that is, the plates are roughly conformed to the head also being curved as shown in Fig. 4. This provides a guiding shoe for the :club which is particularly. desirable in a' driver so that, in the event of the club striking the ground, the sole plate tends to maintain the direction of stroke of the head or the club is encouraged to follow through after striking the ground.

.In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the sole plate I is flat as is usualpractice in golf clubs. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 6 the bottom reinforcing plates 9 are ornamented. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5 the top reinforcing plates 8 are ornamented, also the sole plate as is sometimes the practice.

The head l5 shown in Fig.5 is provided an impact or striking plate I6.

With the parts thus arranged great care in wood selection is not required. At the same time the club is very attractive and distinctive in appearance, is very strong, and not likely to warp or check. With suitable glue the reinforcing plates are secured within the head so that, in effect, they become an integral part thereof, as stated.

I have not attempted to illustrate various with.

653 to and 1 flush; with: the; surface;- .of:.the: head other modifications or adaptations which may 6. A golf club head comprising a wood body be desired for'particular club designs, as it is having a plurality of spaced parallel'longitudibelieved that this disclosure will enable those nal kerfs in the top thereof and a plurality of skilled in the art to embody or adapt my imspaced parallel longitudinal kerfs in the bottom provements as may be best suited to the parthereof, the top and bottom kerfs being disticular design. posed in alternating relation and overlapping in Having thus described my invention what I spaced relation within the body, the latter beclaim as new and desire to secure by Letters ing continuous in a wave-like path transversely Patent is: of said kerfs, and flat plates fitting and fixedly 1. A golf club" head vcomprising ai wood body; secured within said kerfs, the outer edges of said having a,;recessedi impact face, andija plurality; plates being, conformed to'and flush with the of spaced parallel longitudinal kerfs in the top surface of the head and the ends and inner thereof and a plurality of spaced parallel long'rezedges thereof terminating within the body of tudinal kerfs in the bottom thereof, the top and the club head. bottom kerfs being disposed in alternating "re- 7'.*=A 'golf club head comprising a fibrous body lation and overlapping within that-body, flat having a face and a plurality of spaced kerfs in plates fitting and fixedly secured within said the top and bottom thereof arranged parallel to kerfs, the outer edges of Said pIate'S- -being con the' -vertical axis'ofhthe club and having curved formedto and flush with the surfacewofhthea-bottomseandends terminating within the body head, and a sole plate disposed transversely "so that the latter is continuous at its ends, thebelow thebottom platesaand havingg a flangebody being also continuousvin a wave-like path like .impact portion on-zitsu-front endv "disposed. extending-transversely"of the face; and a metal in fiaidnimpactface thMbOttOIW-"Of\Fsaidli pla'te fittingfiwithin each kerftoreinforce the:

sole plate being curved. transversely .ofithe body. head against splitting, warping, .checkingjndm 2. A golf club head comprisingaaswood body the-like.- having a plurality of :spaced parallel longitudinal 8.: A golf? club head comprising 1 an integral kerfs in-thet top ,tthereofu and amflplurality of body having a plurality of spaced kerfsin a spaced parallel longitudinal-hensin.theabottomw Siteisurfaces"thereofiarranged'rin arallel rem-- thereof, the. tops-and: bottom -kerfsrbeingrdise tion and terminating within th'e'bodyl to pro-- posed in alternating *i d Ov pp vide continuity in the body ina'wave-like path Within y; flat p fi d"fi y extendingl above,between and 'below'the kerfs,

s u d Wit n sa d rfspt u n ds s 0i and a' reinforcing plate filling xeaohzof said said. plates beinga conformed to Y andrz-fiush' withe m r. l the surface of the head, and a.:sole,-zplate:'5dis-1- posed transversely rbelow thesbottomzsplatesm 'rialxhavin'g fa rounded top and a plurality of:

01f club head-scompris yspaced parallel thin kerfs in the top andxbothavingapluralityrof spaced parallel-slongitudinal-ri t zzofathe head, saidikerfs being spacedfrom kerfs the t p thereof 'and 'a tpluralitwoft the' ends and opposltevsides'of the head so thatspaced parallel. longitudinalkrfs:inatheebottom-n: t head retains t t lit and reinforcing-.-

it p andI 'ke s'beingLdisD platesztightly:fittingwithin said kerfs with their in.alternatingi relationr-andaoverlappingrwithiniexposedr'surfaces nfor d t thesurface-; f the y; and flataluminumiplatesifitting rand thez'head 'theplates acting to prevent'the head fixedly secured-withirrsaid karts;theroutertedges f :warping;rsplitting,checking and the like.

of i said plates; being v confdrmedmoxrandf' flush with; the. surface :of; the headiz v terial-havinga plurality 'ofspaced parallel thin 10;; A. golf "club head of' integral fibrous ma- -A-' v0111b 'fhead p y'kerfs in theietop offtheuhead, 'said kerfs being having a plurality of p p gltudinalo spaced.froniathe 'ends-and opposite sides of the kerfs: inthewtop uthereoftxirand alas plurality oftxf head, sothatthe head retains i t nt dq:

spaced. parallel longitudinallkerfs tin thetbottomxi' f o a t fitting th id f thereof, the top;.and bottom'lkerfs,being'sdispdsedli their exposed urfaces f d t thm in-alternating relation-pandaoverlappinggrwithimn g t frthewhead; :the plates acting to prethe bodyyandlplates fitting-.-andfixedlyi'securedr-f thehead fromwarpjng', pl tt h ki withintsaid: kerfs; theiouter .edgesroftasaidvplatesii and t 1ike being conformed toyandtflushiwitln the: surface 5- 1 g lf blubehead o mt fibrous mateof" the head; i i a 5. A golf :club *head comprising -a:-wood body having a plurality; ofcspao'ed parallel 'longitudinalli from the n and opposite sides rial having a plurality of s'pa'ced parallel thin kerfs in the bottom of the head, said vkerfs kelfs in thettopi'thereofr andwa-iplumliw of the head so that the head retains its intespacedparallel longitudinal.akerfsrinzrthe:bottom gralitysv i f i g plates; tightly fitting fio top'and bottom-kwibingidisposedi: within said kerfs with their exposed-surfaces" in alternatingprelation' and overlappingtiwithsln to e urfa e- 11 1 head, therplatets the bodyandmaving cur'vedibottomsi andiiplatesi" acting to prevent the head from warpin splitfitting; hand. fixedly *.=secured1; within: said .Ekerfs;

t checkin and the like; the outer edges of said:-.:plates;;'beingacoriformedzf. mg

LEONARD A. YOUNG. 

